About

Ashlee is Mama of one darling boy. A 28 week early bird, now 1 and some change, doing beautifully. She lives near Chicago with her sweetheart husband and French Bulldog. She's a thinker not afraid to get her silly on. Babywearer, veggie queen, photography nut. Before the domestic days Ashlee was pursuing a future in developmental psychology but has happily shifted gears in favor of staying at home and couldn't imagine doing anything else. In her free time (ha!) you can find her whipping up babyslings, holding down the fort at Mama Speaks and spotlighting as an Itsy Bitsy Yoga Instructor.

Chapter 1: The PacifierXavier's always been indifferent about the car. He likes going out and usually doesn't mind the ride, he just doesn't like the confinement. Usually not a problem but lately if we combine a sleepy X and an excursion the outcome is unpredictable. Sometimes he'll coo right to sleep, others he starts to cry. And he's not a crier but this is the "there is absolutely nothing in the world other than getting me out of this seat that will calm me down" cry, "even if I'm choking and purple". If David's driving I ride in back and nurse him in the car seat - problem solved. But if I'm alone, there's been nothing I can do, I've tried EVERYTHING and it just breaks my heart to hear him cry like that...

I'll start this paragraph by saying I HATE pacifiers (do you see where this is going, yet?) especially when they are referred to as "plugs" and used as such. Xavier had a few nurses in the NICU who were huge fans of pacifiers, I would "accidentally" drop them on the floor or in the trash every chance I got and I think they eventually got the hint. So from there on out no paci's for my guy. But as I said I was running out of options and so at the age when most mommies are trying to wean their babes off the pacifier I get the bright idea to try to introduce one to mine.

So, we're grocery shopping and I take a detour to grab a pacifier and a thing to clip it to the car seat strap (who knew there were so many options!) after much debating X and I decided on one highly recommended by someone's orthodontist, at least that's what the package said. Next time we head out I explain to Xavier what it is and show him how to use it. He listens well enough and looks kind of excited about things. So I hand it to him. He shrieks with delight, promptly starts tweaking the nipple side with one hand and shoves the handle in his mouth with the other. Ahh, that's my boy!

Chapter 2: The Pee-Pee'sXavier, in his robot tee and fresh diaper, was playing of the floor tonight with his Papa - being all kinds of silly at my feet as I put together some Chick-Un Pot-Pies for dinner. Xavier starts grabbing at his diaper and making a little noise. So we ask if he went pee or if he needs a new diaper and he indicated he does. David goes to change him and he lays down quietly, lifts his legs and helps out beautifully (a big change from the Olympic sport that has become diaper changing in out house). Night goes on, not too much later he does the same thing, I ask, he indicates, happy diaper change. Then bed time rolls around - he stops in the middle of nursing and sits up, to give me the usual delirious smile and giggle I'm certain, but he points to his diaper and excitedly tells me "eeee-eee". I check and sure enough, fresh and warm. I'm not big on Elimination Communication, but I've always taken him to the bathroom with me and I explain what's going on when I change his diaper and such. Not sure if this means it's time to invest in a Xavier sized toilet or just keep an eye on things but an evening's worth of pee has never made a mama so proud.

Wow! that's great! Maybe he'll be potty trained early! Lately the Beast started handing me diapers when she's pooped. But that's only sometimes, because the rest of the time, she runs from me after she goes!! top

Just have to say ha ha at the pacifier... something Gray would for sure do! You might want to try a potty for Xav, even if it's just for fun... we got the Baby Bjorn little potty when Gray showed interest in potty-ing like the big boys! top